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Mastery Represented By First Winner at Gulfstream

Up Her Sleeve (Mastery) benefited from a perfect trip to become the first winner for her well-regarded Claiborne Farm-based sire (by Candy Ride {Arg}) in the Gulfstream opener Saturday afternoon.

Sent off at 19-1 off a distant last of four in a rained-off maiden on debut June 30, the bay filly was one of the first away, but came back to Wilmer Garcia to sit third rounding the first turn, as odds-on Royal Rocker (Noble Bird) led them along. Hugging the rail down the backstretch, she was asked for a bit of speed and pinched ground at the fence, popped away from the inside under a ride off the home corner and reeled in the pacesetter with a sixteenth to go, scoring by 1 1/4 lengths. Second-timer Castle Born (Vancouver {Aus}) rallied to be up for second.

Up Her Sleeve, who sold in utero for $160,000 at Keeneland November in 2018, is out of a half-sister to Cash Out (Street Cry {Ire}), graded-placed on turf and dirt as a juvenile; and to MSP Pretty Fancy (Lemon Drop Kid). Her third dam produced MGISW Clear Mandate (Deputy Minister), who was responsible for MGSW & MGISP Newfoundland (Storm Cat) and GISW Strong Mandate (Tiznow). Pocket of Aces is the dam of a yearling Tapwrit filly and a colt foal by the 2017 GI Belmont S. winner.

1st-Gulfstream, $51,000, Msw, 7-17, 2yo, f, 7 1/2fT, 1:32.10, gd, 1 1/4 lengths.
UP HER SLEEVE (f, 2, Mastery–Pocket of Aces, by Harlan's Holiday) Sales history: $120,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $30,000 2yo '21 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $29,250. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Constance Wickes & Brian Hanley; B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd & Bridlewood Farm LLC (KY); T-J Kent Sweezey.

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Ellis Park Adds Stakes Race

Officials at Ellis Park have announced the creation of the Tri-State S., an overnight stakes worth $60,000 for males 3-year-olds and upward at the distance of one mile over the main track. The race will be carded Aug. 7 and will share the program with a trip of turf stakes as part of the Kentucky Downs Preview Weekend at the Henderson, Kentucky, track.

“This fills a void for older males going long on dirt,” racing secretary Dan Bork said. “We have the Good Lord for sprinters, and the mile distance out of the first-turn chute could attract sprinters stretching out another three-sixteenths of a mile as well as two-turn horses–and, of course, milers. It's the male version of our popular Groupie Doll S. for fillies and mares.”

The Tri-State revives a name used on a stakes that started on dirt and was moved to 1 1/16 miles on turf before being discontinued some years ago. Preview Weekend, which features 5 1/2-furlong, one-mile and 1 1/4-mile races for older males, has filled the niche for male turf horses, along with a new 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Downs Preview Dueling Grounds Derby for 3-year-olds.

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Spa Notebook: Maxfield Breezes Towards Whitney

Godolphin's once-beaten Maxfield (Street Sense), the impressive 3 1/4-length winner of Churchill's GII Stephen Foster S. when last seen June 26, tuned up for his next appearance in the Aug. 7 GI Whitney S. with a half-mile breeze over the Oklahoma training track Friday morning that was timed in :49.09 (14/46).

Working in the company of stablemate Longpants Required (New Year's Day), the son of Velvety (Bernardini) covered his first two furlongs in :25.3 and was out five-eighths of a mile in 1:01.1 according to NYRA clockers.

“I just wanted them to start out nice and easy and pick it up as they went,” Walsh said. “It was a good work. I just wanted to get him back in the swing of things again. He looks like he's doing great. I was delighted with him yesterday when I got up here. He looked as good if not better than ever.”

Walsh told the NYRA notes team that he was pleased with what he saw from his charge in his first work since the Foster.

“It's three weeks since he ran and it worked out fine,” Walsh said. “I wasn't in a rush to work him back with the shipping. It's just a question of keeping him happy and keeping him healthy.”

Masqueparade Works For Jim Dandy…

Masqueparade (Upstart) was also among those on the Friday worktab at the Spa, covering four furlongs in a steady :49.23 (28/98). Recent winner of the GIII Ohio Derby, the bay is slated to make his next start in the GII Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga July 31.

“He's an improving 3-year-old mentally, physically and figure wise and that's why we're taking our chance in a race like the Jim Dandy,” said the conditioner, who added that his colt was also under consideration for this weekend's GI TVG.com Haskell S. and the Aug. 7 GII West Virginia Derby. “He's easy on himself. He won't grab the bit and go down there in :47 and change and gallop out in a minute, which is good at this point in time. It might help his longevity.”

Hendrickson, Casse Reflect on Schuylerville Win…

One day following Pretty Birdie (Bird Song)'s front-running success in the GIII Schuylerville S., trainer Norm Casse and John Hendrickson, the husband of the late Marylou Whitney, were still on cloud nine.

“Everyone assumes I love horse racing because of who my family is and who my father is, but Smarty Jones (Elusive Quality) is the reason I fell in love with horse racing,” said Casse. “I think we all know the story on how that one ends with Marylou beating him [with Birdstone with the Triple Crown on the line in 2004], and now I train for her. It's just surreal. I thank her and John [Hendrickson] so much. They've really given me everything and I really appreciate everything they've done.”

Added Hendrickson of the late owner/breeder, “This is where she felt the most alive. This is the way she is alive and she has a win on Opening Day. It's pretty special. This is a dream come true for me and Marylou. Things getting back to normal and winning on Opening Day, she's throwing a party. She said, 'I want to race, get back to work.'”

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Lone Star Handle Biggest In 15 Years

The 25th season of Thoroughbred racing at Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie just outside of Dallas concluded July 11 with handle figures their largest since 2006. The figures do not include last year's pandemic season.

Daily merged (i.e. live, on-track plus export) handle totaled $1,693,866 for the 48-day meet, while a daily average of $1,459,096 in export handle. On-track fans wagered $234,770 daily, the most since 2018. Average daily attendance on weekends and holidays for the meet was just over 4,000 per day, just a 4% decline from 2019.

“The attendance figures were a very positive takeaway for the meet,” said Brandon Leigh, Lone Star Park's Director of Marketing & Player Development. “There is lots of momentum to build upon for next year, considering that a majority of our indoor reserved seating areas were limited to just 50% capacity this year.”

The highlight of the meet was Lone Star Million Day on Memorial Day, when on-track handle topped $900,000, with export handle nearly $5.5 million, a single-day record not including the Breeders' Cup.

Steve Asmussen finished the meet as leading trainer, while Stewart Elliott topped the jockeys' table. Karl Broberg's End Zone Athletics' Inc won 40 races from 184 runners.

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